Funny month for the weather, June. As 5/6ths of us met at Midland Station platform 5a on a warm, cloudy day for our trip out into Derbyshire. Andy C joined the packed train at Dore & Totley Station for the journey to New Mills.
Unfortunately due to a landslide, the train would only reach Chinley Station with a replacement bus completing the journey. However, there was a 10 minute walk back up the hill, to where we had just passed. Annoying when Newtown Station is virtually across the road – which Andy C had travelled to on the train via Hazel Grove reaching the brewery quarter of an hour before everyone else – he was in a different part of the train…
Torrside Brewery is part of the marina complex on Hibbert Street, sitting opposite the famous Swizzels sweet factory, although the shop wasn’t open on this occasion for purchases. The Tap itself is a converted boat repair shop and is kitted out with casks on stillage, a hopper and benches to enjoy the offerings of Torrside and Osaka Local food truck.
The range of cask and keg is impressive and boast pales, bitter and dark beers. Others and myself plumped for the Torrside Mosaic, 4.8% APA. This was followed by the I Am Curious Lemon, again 4.8% but an EPA this time. I am not a darker beer drinker generally. Although I did try the excellent Kuro Neko, a 5.2% Schwarzbier, akin to an airy stout packed with flavour. As the Mosaic ran out, it was swiftly replaced with All of the Klaxons, a more sessionable 4% EPA. We all tasted a sample a lovely smoked dark, bottled beer, purchased by Andy.
An enjoyable social few hours was enjoyed by the group around the table with a few anecdotes told that had all howling, including Malc’s Wetherspoon place tale (you had to be there..)
We set off for the next bar in this old mining and mill town. Boasting the Grade II listed Torr Vale Mill, which at 210 years of continuous use was the longest running in the UK. The town’s industry was also served by the rivers Sett and Goyt for power, and the Peak Forest Canal for transportation.
Arriving at the Beer Shed at the top of Market Street, we were greeted to a compact, narrow bar displaying old beer adverts on the walls. Beer was courtesy of Thornbridge, with the 4.5% Fonio Pale Ale, but offered another 2 handpumps.
We then departed for what we thought would be our final pub the Masons Arms on the bottom end of High Street, a pretty and narrow lane with terraced cottages and cobbles. This pub offered Robinsons beers and a couple of guests. I enjoyed the Unicorn bitter at 4.3%, and the Storm Brewing Co Bosley Cloud, a Blonde Golden of 4.1% with adjuncts of fruits, spices and occasionally coffee.
So, on returning to our shuttle bus back to Chinley is where the comedy, or not, started. We were in plenty of time for the 19:23 to Sheffield, but after 10-15 minutes after it should have arrived, we suspected it wouldn’t, especially as the 20:23 was cancelled too. This confirmed our decamping to the nearby Chinley Bar and Lounge. Not expecting much, we were surprised to find 2 cask ales on the bar. Chatsworth Gold, a 4.6% Blonde/Golden and the classic Bass, 4.4% bitter. All this was accompanied with laughs at Andy Cullen’s tale of radiator covers (you had to be there..)
We then returned to Chinley Station for the 21:23, only to find that too was cancelled. Fortunately, shortly afterwards we were informed a minibus was enroute to return us to Sheffield. After picking up a few passengers from other stations, and dropping off Andy C at Dore & Totley, we arrived back 2.5hours after our original time. John, Phil and myself decided on a nightcap at Shakespeares where I partook in a Fuggle Bunny Stomper, weighing in at 5% and a refreshing SeaCider Blueberry of 4%.
It was now taxi time, but although an exhausting day, we can all look back on great beer, food, company and a lot of laughs. If there no rail disruptions, New Mills is well worth 7 hrs of anyone’s time on a Torrside Brewery Tap Saturday.